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Post by SoHuda on Aug 24, 2007 11:07:22 GMT -6
yea, I totally agree that small things make big change! good thread Anu!!!!  |
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Post by Zach on Aug 24, 2007 15:22:55 GMT -6
@ Zach - The stamps idea is cool! Thanks Anu. I found the name of the organization; Church Women United's project Stamps for Service (also called Stamps for Seeds). You can find a tidbit about it here: www.eacc-ucc.org/womens.htmBy the way Zach, oxfam does that as well.. You can buy animals online and they'll sent them to countries that need them most, you can also buy books and musquito nets for babies those type of things.. I bought something from oxfam this christmas (school books and a musquito net), as a gift to Alyssa for her b-day and christmas (19;th december), it's what most Alyssa fans do every year for her, they give money or do something for a charity and send a story and pictures of it to her, someone collects them and forms a book and gives it to her because she prefers that over a 'regular' gift send to her.. I couldn't enter the book things this year so I did that on my own.. Awesome! I like that idea. Oxfam is also a cool organization. Thanks for sharing  |
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Post by Zach on Aug 24, 2007 15:23:59 GMT -6
hey, great ideas everyone. and I think we should definitely arrange something and put these green ideas in the magazine! like we can do something like 'from the YFCI boards come these green tips' ok that sounds kinda lame but u get the idea... we can also use tips from the thread 'suggest solutions' Yep. That will work. Anu and I are already talking about it We will talk about it at our next Online Meeting! |
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Post by AK on Aug 28, 2007 10:31:43 GMT -6
Action for today- Compile a guide (of addresses and contact numbers) to important Help Lines, clinics, counseling services, and support groups in your area and distribute it to the surrounding community - particularly to students, senior citizens, single women, persons living alone or persons who're new to your area. This action is pretty helpful, whether acknowledged or not. Six years ago, when we shifted to a new neighbourhood, the residents' committee gave us a similar pamphlet with addresses and phone numbers of important services. We initially thought that paper was useless, but later it came very handy during times of sudden emergency. So one can try this or ask your neighborhood's residents' committee to do this in case they already aren't doing it. And yes, I've already talked to Zach and Anu M about using this thread and the Suggest Solutions thread for ALPHA. The actions in this threads aren't just green tips, but cover various issues. I proposed an idea to Anu M about using both these threads for ALPHA and I'll forward those emails to you guys. You can then decide what to do. Till then, keep both these threads going! Keep suggesting solutions and actions guys!  |
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Post by Zach on Aug 28, 2007 14:14:58 GMT -6
For Today-Clean up a neighbor's yard when they are not home. You can shovel snow, rake leaves, clean up garbage, anything. This is sure to make their day (and make sure not to tell them who did it!). If they knew who did it, they would have to give you something for it Random acts of kindness can go a long way! |
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Post by AK on Aug 30, 2007 8:09:44 GMT -6
True!Right said Zach! Action for today - Buy and give charity greeting cards on festivals or occasions. Many NGOs and non-profits make cards and other merchandise to fund their cause. For e.g., CRY (Child Rights & You) and HelpAge (at least its India chapter, I don't know about other countries) have beautiful and inexpensive cards for every occasion and the proceeds of the sales of these cards are used for the organization and its welfare work.Try to buy cards for a cause this holiday season! Our purchase could help give relief to someone in need. |
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Post by Zach on Aug 30, 2007 12:41:22 GMT -6
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Post by alyssamilanofan on Aug 31, 2007 1:20:35 GMT -6
I recently bought some UNICEF christmas card which I'll be using this year..
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Post by waed89 on Aug 31, 2007 3:12:28 GMT -6
The idea of these cards is great but they are not available in all countries! I checked and they aren't available here in JOrdan ('',) .... I'll figure out sum other way ;D
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Post by AK on Aug 31, 2007 7:12:09 GMT -6
No worries Waed!You can search online for orgs. or shops that offer charity cards. Or you can look for charity cards at your local cards & gift shops, ask them if they have such cards.
Okay and action for today: Never waste food. Give your leftovers to the needy or donate leftover/excess food to a food rescue center. In my family, we usually give away our leftovers to the maid or to street kids, instead of throwing away the excess food. I've also seen some people giving away leftover food to beggars.
You can also donate excess perishable food left from your parties, functions or gatherings. Don't simply throw away the food in the garbage bin, give it to someone who might desperately need it.
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Post by Zach on Aug 31, 2007 8:41:41 GMT -6
Don't simply throw away the food in the garbage bin, give it to someone who might desperately need it. Or.. eat the leftover food the next night. I know someone who on purpose makes some type of meat, and the next night they might make it into soup or a salad. She calls it "Food Recycling". We do that once and a while; or we'll just have leftovers Good Idea Anu! |
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Post by AK on Sept 1, 2007 1:21:06 GMT -6
Don't simply throw away the food in the garbage bin, give it to someone who might desperately need it. Or.. eat the leftover food the next night. I know someone who on purpose makes some type of meat, and the next night they might make it into soup or a salad. She calls it "Food Recycling". We do that once and a while; or we'll just have leftovers Good Idea Anu! Oh yeah! We do that too, in addition to giving away of course! The food recycling idea is really good. So food recycling, eating leftovers and donating or giving away food - all are great ideas! |
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Post by AK on Sept 1, 2007 1:32:46 GMT -6
Action for today - Encourage the habit of reading. Read to your younger siblings or teach them to read. Give books as presents. Gift subscriptions to good magazines. Turn off that TV and invest more time yourself in reading! Encourage your friends, family and (if possible) neighbors to read, introduce them to good books and share books with them.
You could even volunteer at a local literacy center and teach an underprivileged person to read. Or donate your old books (that you don't read now) to an orphanage or library. The point is to give someone the gift of literacy, the gift of reading - the gift of a lifetime!
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Post by AK on Sept 3, 2007 5:09:42 GMT -6
Action(s) for today - Use and reuse files and folders until they're dead, this would help save paper and make less waste.
Use hand pencil sharpeners instead of electrical ones, do your bit to save electricity!
Use cloth towels and napkins instead of paper towels/napkins. Saves paper again!
Keep using your (wooden) pencils until they're really small and do not break or chew your pencils. Little changes like these help save wood and trees.
Don't use stuff that is tested on animals.
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Post by AK on Sept 4, 2007 2:21:11 GMT -6
Today's action - Support and sign the Global Declaration of Interdependence developed by the 'We The World Foundation'. Go to this link - www.wetheworld.org/wtw2/index.php4#signdeclarationPlease include the necessary details as indicated on the website and email it to - declaration@wetheworld.org with the following text in the Subject line: Declaration of Interdependence Signer |
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Post by darkme on Sept 5, 2007 5:27:50 GMT -6
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Post by AK on Sept 5, 2007 8:19:28 GMT -6
Action for today - Click to make a difference!There are many "click to donate" websites on the net these days. On each site, there's a "click to donate/support" button, just click the button every day (to have a larger impact) to support the cause.Here are some sites: www.thehungersite.com - Click to provide cups of food for free www.theliteracysite.com - Click to provide free books to underprivileged kids www.therainforestsite.com - Click to protect endangered habitat www.thebreastcancersite.com - Click to give free mammograms to women in need www.thechildhealthsite.com - Click to give free healthcare to children in need www.theanimalrescuesite.com - Click to give free food and care to rescued animals www.povertyfighters.com - Click (you can click twice) to raise funds for microcredit loans for less privileged people in the developing world www.ripple.org - Click once a day on the four buttons provided on the website to - (a) give 6 days access to clean water, (b) help a village feed itself, (c) give 2 days access to education and (d) to finance a $100 loan for a day for poor borrowers (Grameen Foundation). www.fighthunger.org - Click the button provided (on the right side on the website) to provide one free lunch to an underprivileged child for one day. These are only some "click to donate" websites I know of. Many more are there if you search on Google.It's the easiest, fastest and the most inexpensive way to make a difference. Make it a daily habit to click once on these websites to have the greatest impact possible.So simple! |
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Post by AK on Sept 6, 2007 6:33:55 GMT -6
Action for today - Stop environmental degradation and destruction by writing letters! Participate in an international letter-writing campaign like the Global Response. Visit their site - www.globalresponse.orgThis website has a focus on people of all ages, from all parts of the world. They organize international-level letter-writing campaigns for environmental issues covering almost every part of the world. They offer letter-writing tips and sample letters and have special sections on the site for youth, kids, teachers, adults and everyone interested in environmental issues. We can participate in their current campaigns and even suggest campaigns for the future. What's more, these guys even have a comprehensive record of achievements and success stories of their letter-writing campaigns!Check out this link - globalresponse.org/victories.phpGo ahead and write the letter to save turtles in India or protect the wetlands in Kenya!Lots of causes and campaigns to choose from!
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Post by Zach on Sept 6, 2007 6:43:06 GMT -6
Action for Today- Help a sibling or neighbor get to the bus stop before school. The experience is a great way to bond with them, and give them company at the same time |
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Post by ViCtoria* on Sept 6, 2007 11:24:42 GMT -6
Anu, Im giving you another karma for the great efforts you are putting to this thread Great work, indeed!!! Thank you for collecting all of these links and posting ideas! |
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